Pace University School of Law

78 North Broadway, White Plains NY

August 8, 2003

Over the past three and a half years, we have seen the commencement of a total transformation of our campus. Since 1999 we have seen the opening of the 20,000 sq. ft, $10,000,000 classroom building, the creation of a Student Lounge in the Preston Building; the renovation of the Campus Store, the creation of a Faculty Lounge; the building of a law school Boardroom, the construction of a 280 car parking garage; the installation of a campus wide wireless network; and the renovation of the student cafeteria.

I wanted to bring everyone up to date on a number of major construction and renovation projects that will, ultimately, create a beautiful and functional law school campus by 2006. The Judicial Institute and parking garage project were budgeted at approximately $15,000,000. The balance of the renovation and construction projects have been budgeted at approximately $5,000,000.

In all cases, students, staff and faculty will be consulted as design plans are developed for each project, and as the projects are implemented. We will try to the very best of our abilities to plan carefully and minimize disruption as these projects are implemented. We could not be doing this without the resources and commitment of the University to support our plan to become, ultimately, a truly great national law school.

The Judicial Institute Building has been completed. It is a spectacular building and we have scheduled classes and major events in the JI, commencing Fall 2003. The building contains a 160 seat theatre that we will be using for our National Environmental Moot Court Competition, academic symposia, and major events and lectures, three 30-35 person seminar rooms, and three boardrooms. We have developed a new curricular Judicial Studies Program in conjunction with the Judicial Institute.

Landscaping of the campus has been completed, including the opening of a new tennis/basketball court located behind 31 Crane Ave, between the parking garage and the JI, just west of the faculty/staff parking lot.

The new classroom on Preston 4 has been completed. The Classroom is on the wireless network, and is fully equipped with electrical plugs for laptops.

The new staff lounge is approaching completion. It is located in the Preston Basement where the Land Use Law Center had been housed prior to its move to 31 Crane. It will includes an automatic coffee machine like that in the Faculty Lounge, comfortable couches and chairs, soft lighting etc.

We have completed renovating Glass 3, including the Problem Room. That space now includes a new computer lab, a bibliographic facility, and student study area. Access to this area will be controlled as part of the Law Library and students, staff and faculty will need to use their ID cards to access the area via the stairs, elevator or the Preston/Glass bridge. Ultimately, this area and these functions will be fully integrated into a totally renovated Glass Law Library Building.

LawIT has relocated to Aloysia 3, as has Educational Media and Document Services.

The entire non-bookstore side of Aloysia basement has been renovated and dedicated to closed library stacks. This project will be completed this summer. Ultimately, the entire Aloysia basement will be dedicated to this purpose, with the Campus Store moving to Preston Basement.

The Registrar will be moving to newly renovated space in Aloysia 1 in Summer 2004. The Registrar space will be integrated with the Bursar/Financial Aid space. It is designed to be student-friendly -- a "one-stop shopping" office for bursar/financial aid/registrar services.

The Center for Career Development will be moving to newly renovated space in Aloysia 2. The space is much larger than their current space and will be designed specifically for career development student services, and will include a student career resource center, staff offices and interviewing rooms. That construction is planned for Summer 2005.

The balance of space on Preston 4 will, ultimately, be dedicated to the JJLS Clinic. This major renovation is planned for Summer 2006. The space will be specially designed for clinical education and experiential learning purposes.

RENOVATION OF GLASS BUILDING

Finally, the entire Glass Building will be turned over the library and completely renovated to create excellent space for all library functions, including staff offices, open book stacks, student carrels, group study rooms, and open student study areas. This project will take place in 2006-07.

Founded in 1976, Pace Law School is located in White Plains, N.Y., 20 miles north of New York City. The School offers the J.D. program for full-time, and part-time day, and evening students. Its post-graduate program includes the LL.M. and S.J.D. degrees in Environmental Law and an LL.M. in Comparative Legal Studies. Pace has one of the nation's top-rated environmental law programs and its Clinical Education Program also is nationally ranked, offering clinics in domestic violence prosecution, securities arbitration, criminal justice, and disability rights.